Fountain pen



Sept. 16, 1930. R. A. FRlTscH Y FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Nov. 17, 192e keb Q lb@ OMV.

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Patented Sept. 16, 193i) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i ROCKEL ALEXANDER FRITSCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 JOHN LAWBIE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS FOUNTAIN PEN Application med November 17, 1926. Serial No. 148,976.

This invention relates to an improvement in fountain pens, and aims to provide a fountain pen which is so organized and constructed as to make possible the filling of the pen in a simple, positive and efficient manner and which provides a pen of relatively largecapacity.

Another object is to provide a fountain pen which has these advantages and capacities and wherein the parts of the en may be adjusted to take up wear or may e replaced with facility.

A further object is to provide a fountain.

pen of this character which is'simple and durable in vconstruction, reliable and efficient in operation, and easy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularl pointed out inthe appended claims, re erence being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal central section showing a fountain pen constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a similar View of another form of the invention,

Figure 3 shows a slight variation of the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a view in central longitudinal section showing another embodiment of the invention,

Figure 5 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to Figure 5 but showing the different position of the parts, and

Flgure 7 is a fragmentary detail view 1n central longitudinal section further illustrating the feed plug shown in Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1 it will be seen that the present invention proposes a fountain pen having a barrel 1 having its forward end provided with an internal enlargement at 2.1n the longitudinal opening or bore 3 of which a feed plug 4 is fitted and frictionally held or otherwise suitably secured. The feed lug l 4 also serves to carry a pen point 5 w ich has an opening 6 therein. The pen 5 overlies a groove 7 provided in one face of the plug 4, the groove extending rearwardly to a transverse passage 8 which serves to establish communication between the groove 7 and an opening 9 formed in the plug 4 and extending from a point adjacent its forward end out through the rear end of the lug. An outer tube 10 is provided within t e barrel 1 and has its forward end threadedly or otherwise Asuitably connected with the rearward end of the wall of the opening 9 of the plug 4, the threaded connection between the tube 10 and plug 4 being Figure 1 the outer tube 10 extends axially through the barrel 1 for a substantial portion of the length ofthe barrel. An inner tube 12 is slidably fitted in the outer tube 10 and has its rearward end suitably secured to a head 13 threadedly connected or otherwise fastened to a sleeve 14. The sleeve 14 is slidably fitted on the barrel l and may be held against turning movement in any suitable way. The head 13 is provided with inclined openings 15 which meet just inwardly of the rear end of the inner tube 12 to define an enlarged space 16. The openings 15 and space 16 provide'for communication between the rear end of the tube 12 and the interior of the barrel 1. Communication between the interior of the tube 12and the interior of the barrel 1 is also had through openings 17 and slots 17 here shown formed in the rear end portion of the tube 12. In order to provide a fluid tight connection between the sleeve 14 and the barrel 1 a plurality of rubber packing rings 20 are provided and are confined between rigid rings 21 of metal or other suitable material, the rings 21 being threadedly connected with the barrel 1 and being adjustable will compress and expand the rubber rings 20 to the desired extent. In order to prevent accidental displacement of the sleeve 14 a retaining band 22 is provided and is threadedly or otherwise connected to the forward end of the sleeve, as indicated at 23. This band 22 is engageable with the forward end ring 21 when the sleeve 14 has been indicated at 11. As indicated in pulled rearwardly as far as it may be. In order that all of the ink may be used or in other words in order to prevent the ink from being tra ed in the barrel 1 the inner tube 12 is provi ed with an arcuate groove 12 and the outer tube 10 is provided with a similar arcuate. groove 10, the grooves 108L and 12 registering when the parts of the pen are in,

operative or writing position, as illustrated in Figure 1. f

It is to be understood that the barrel 1 ot the pen, its feed plug 4, its tubes 10 and 12,

its sleeve 14, the head 13 of the sleeve and the retaining band 22 are all constructed of rigid material which may be a hard rubber compound or of metal or any other suitable hard' munication with the opening of the barrel.

The rarefaction or suction which occurs pulls the ink in through the opening 6 along -the groove 7, through the passage 8 and into the tube 12, the ink flowing from the tube 12 into the barrel 1 through the openings 17 and slots 17 and through the space 16 and holes 15. It is to be noted that when the sleeve 14 is pulled rearwardly it carries with it the tube 12 and as the tube 12 is moved relative to the tube 10 the slots 10a and 12a are moved out of register at the very start of the filling o eration. After the sleeve 14 has been pu led rearwardly as far as it may be, it is then advanced slowly forward which expels the excess air from the pen without pushing out any material quantity of ink. This operation of moving the sleeve 14 back and forth should be repeated several times to entirely lill the pen. When the air escapes from the pen on the forward movement of the sleeve 14 it passes through the openings 17 and slots 17 a and through'the holes 15 and space 16 into the tube 12 and thence out through the passages in the feed lug. It does not pass through4 or tend to dlsplace the main quantity of ink which is trapped in the barrel 1 since the slots 10a and 12a are out of registry.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2 the pen has a barrel 30 having at its forward end an opening 31 which receives a feed plug 32. Rearwardly of the opening 31 an internal flange 33- is provided. The feed plug 32 carries a pen point 34 having the usual openings 35 and the pen 34 overlies a longitudinal groove 36 provided in the periphery of the feed plug, the groove 36 extending rearwardly of the plug 32 to its rear end. As shown in the drawing the rear end of the plug 32 is spaced fromfthe adjacent face of the flange 33 to provide an ink space The ink space 37 is in open communica- .tlon with the axially extending openin 38 38 of the feed plug in certain phases of the l lling operation and the forward end of this tube 1s provided with an arcuate slot 41 which in the writing position of the parts lies just rearwardly of the flange 33.A The rearward end of the tube 40 is threadedly or otherwise connected, as indicated at 42, to a head 43 threadedly or otherwise connected as at 44, to the rear end of a sleeve 45 which 1s slidably fitted on the barrel 1. The sleeve 45 may be releasably secured in either one of its extreme positions by interengaging threads 46 on its sleeve with threads 47 or 48 provided on the barrel. In order to provide a fluid tight connection between the sleeve 45 and the barrel, the barrel has an externally threaded tube 49 connected with its rear end and on this tube a pluralityof rubber rings 50 are mounted, the rubber rings 50 being confined by metallic or other firm rings 51 threadedly connected with the tube 49 and being expanded in this way as much as necessary to cause them to have the proper packin engagement with the sleeve 45. These ru ber rings and irm meta-l rings present the same broad packing f construction as illustrated in Fig. 1 but as is now apparent the construction shown in Fig. 2 mounts these rings on a separate tube rather than directly on the barrel. At this point it is also to be noted that the feature of releasably securing the sleeve in either of its extreme positions by engaging threads on the sleeve with threads on the barrel might be practiced to advantage with the formof the invention shown in Figure 1. The single tube 40 emploed in the'form of the invention shown in openings 40 and slots 40b to provide for communication between the interior of the tube 40 and the interior of the barrel 30. In lilling the fountain pen shown in Figure 2 the air is expelled from the pen as much as it may be by advancing the sleeve 45 on the barrel 30 to the position indicated in Fig. 2. The pen point is then immersed in ink until the opening 35 is covered and the sleeve 45 is then moved rearwardly along the barrel 30 and ink is pulled in through the opening 35 of the pen point through the slot 36,- space 37, tube 40 from whence it flows through the openin 40* and slots 40" into the barrel 30. The ack and forward movement of the sleeve 45 may be repeated as often as it is necessary to cause ig. 2 has at its rearward endy a full charge of ink to be drawn into the barrel 30.

Figure 3 illustrates a slight variation of the form of the invention shown in Figure 2.

In Fig. 3 the barrel has at least its forward end constructed in accordance with the barrel in Fig. 1; that is, the barrel of Fig. 3 which is indicated at 60, has an ofpening 61 to receive the feed plug 62. The eed plug 62 is, however, constructed like the feed plug 32 illustrated in Fi 2 with the exception that it completely 11s the opening 61 and has its rearward end exposed to the interior of the barrel. The feed plug 62 also has a bearing and packing plug 63 threaded thereinto and in this plug 63 the tube 40 is slidably fitted. By this construction the flange 33 is omitted and is replaced by the barrel 60.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 to 7 the pen comprises a barrel 75 having a feed plug receiving member 76 at its forward end. n the member 76 a feed plug 77 is fitted and frictionally or otherwise suitably secured. The feed plug 77 carries the pen point 78 having the usual opening 79 and this pen point'7 8 overlies the longitudinal groove 80 extendin rearwardly to a transverse passage 81 w ich communicates with an axial openin 82 formed in the feed plug and extending rom a oint intermediate the length thereof out t rough the rear end of the same. The rear end portion of the feed plug is also provided witha radial slot 83 which affords communication between the b arrel and the opening 82 in certain adjustments of the parts of the pen as will hereinafter be more fully described. A single axially extending tube 84 is provided and has its forward end rotatably fitted in the opening 82 of the feed plug. The forward end of this tube 84 is open and adjacent its forward end the tube 84 has a longitudinal slot 85 which may be brought into registry with the slot 83 or moved out of registry therewith, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, respectively. The rear end of the tube 84 is threadedly connected or otherwise suitably fixed to a head 86, the head 86 being threadedly connected or otherwise suitably fastened to a sleeve 87, the latter being rotatably mounted on the barrel 75 and being constrained to rotary movement by means of a lug or rib 88 fitting in an arcuate groove 89 provided in the sleeve 87. The arcuate groove 89 has an angular extent sufficient to enable the sleeve 87 to be turned relative to the barrel 75 as may be necessary to carry out the operation. The endwalls of the groove 89 engage the rib or lug 88 to limit the extreme movements of the parts. As shown the rearward end portion of the tube 84 is provided with a pluralit of openings 90 affording communication etween the interior of the tube 84 and the interior 0f the barrel 7 5. An elastic or rubber tube or cylindrical member 91 is provided and has one end fastened to a collar 92 formed on the barrel 7 5 and has its other end fastened to a collar 93 formed on the head 86. This tube 91 has suiiicient elasticit to normall maintain its expanded cylin rical form s own in the drawings but 1t is sufficiently yieldable to be collapsible upon twistin thereof and such twisting occurs when the sleeve 87 is turned relative to the barrel 75.

In filling the pens shown in Figs. 4 to 7 the sleeve 87 is turned relative to the barrel 75 to twist the elastic tube 91, thereby collapsing the tube 91 and expelling the air. The pen with the parts so adjusted then has its point 78 immersed in the ink so that the opening 79 is covered` The sleeve 87 is then permitted to resume its normal position or is turned to untwist the tube 91, thereby permitting the tube 91 to expand and draw the ink in through the opening 79, groove 80, passa e 81, opening 82, tube 84 and openings 90. s in the other embodiments of the invention at the start of the air-expelling phase of the operation the supply of ink in the barrel is cut off from the pen. In this instance this result is accomplished by virtue of the fact that the slot 85 moves out of registry with the slot 83. The advantage of this feature resides in the fact that the air which occupies the upper portion of the barrel is expelled without expelling the .ink which is trapped in the lower end of the barrel. However, as soon as the pen has been completely filled all of the ink in the barrel may be used since none is trapped when the parts of the pen are in writing position.

1. A fountain pen comprising a barrel, a feed plug at the forward end of the barrel, a sleeve movably mounted on the rear end of the outer face of the barrel, a tube having its rear end connected to the sleeve and having its forward end provided with a slot, the slot in the forward end of the tube permitting the ink in the lower end of the barrel to pass into the feed plug in the writing position of the parts, and means on the feed plug and co-operable with the slotted portion of the tube for closing the slot and trapping the ink in the pen when the sleeve. is moved to expel the air from the pen.

2. A fountain pen comprising a barrel, a feed plug at the forward end of the barrel, a sleeve slidably fitted on the rearward end of the outer face of the barrel, a tube carried by said sleeve having its forward end co-operable with the feed plug. said forward end being provided with an arcuate slot, and an outer tube connected to 1e feed plug and having a slot registering with the slot of the first-mentioned tube when the parts are in writing position, the slotsbeing out of registry when the parts are moved to fill the pen.

3. A fountain pen comprising a "barrel, a feed plug at the forward end of the barrel, a sleeve slidably fitted on the` rearward end of the outer face of the barrel, a tube having its rearward end fixed to the sleeve and having its forward end co-operable with the feed feed plugat the forward end of-the barrel,

plug, said forward end being provided with an opening, said barrel having an internal bushing snugly engaged with the tube, the opening of the tube when on one side of the bushing permitting the ink to feed from the lower end of the barrel to the feed plug and when-on the other side of the bushing trapping the ink in the barrel. Y

4. A fountain pen comprising a barrel having a feed plug at its forward end, a sleeve itted'on the outer face of the barrel. a tube having its rearward end connected to said sleeve, the rearward end of the tube 'having an opening, the forward end of the tube opening into the feed plug, the feed lug being communicable with the interior o the barrel through said tube and opening and communicable with the tube when the parts of the pen are in writing position.

5. A fountain pen comprising a barrel, a Y

feed plug at the feed end of the barrel, a sleeve slidably fitted on the o'uter face of the rearward end of the barrel, packing means between the barrel and the sleeve, a tube having its rearward end connected to the sleeve, and having openings adjacent its rear end, the forward end of the tube being cooperable with the feed plug and having a slot permitting the ink to iiow from the lower end of the barrel to the feed plug. and means co-operable with the slot for closing the same when the air is being expelled from the pen prior to the filling. v

6. fountain pen having a barrel, means for conducting fluid to and from the barrel associated with the barrel, means operable on the outerface of the barrel to produce a suction in the barrel and also operable to expel air from the barrel, and means for trappin the ink in the lower portion .of the barre when said means is operated to expel air from the barrel.

7 A fountain pen having a barrel a feed plug at the forward end of the barrel, means operable on the outer face of the barrel to produce a suction in the barrel through the feed plug and also operable to expel air from the barrel, and means on the feed plug and co-operable with said last mentioned means for trapping the ink in the lower portion of the barrel when said means is operated to expel air from the barrel.

8. A fountain pen comprising a barrel, a feed plug at the forward end of the barrel, a movable operating element mounted on the outer face of the barrel and a tube connected with the operating element, said feed plug a5 and said tube having cooperating means to permit the ink' in the lower end of the barrel to pass to the feed plug in the writing position of theA parts and to trap/the ink in the lower part of the barrel when filling the pen and expelling lair therefrom.

the tube is rethe slot to control the'communication of the lower end of the barrel with the feed plug.

10. In a fountain pen, ay reservoir composed of two tubular mainsections telescopically engaged, a pen point mounted in the front of the forward section the rear portion of said forward section forming a piston in the forward part of the rear section which is closed at its rear end, a small inner tube corresponding in length substantially to the Vlength of thetwo sections and carried at its rear end b the closed rear end of the rear section, said tube having openings therein and the forward section having a restricted opning to receive the front end of said inner tu e.

l1. A fountain pen havin a barrel, a feed plug at the forward endo -the barrel and havmg an open portion, a tube movably extending into the feed plug and having communication therewith, said tube being open tothe interior'of the barrel at its upper end, said tube having an opening at its lower end, and means carried by the barrel and carrying the tube being operable to shift the tube for closing said opening at the lower end thereof when said means is moved to expel air from loo the upper portion of the barrel through said tube and said plug.

12. A fountain pen comprising a barrel having a pen point inone end and its other end open, a sleeve movable onsaid barrel over said open end for closing thev same, a feeding and filling tube aiiixed to said sleeve and movablel therewith, said tube cooperating with means formed in the point end of said barrel for opening communication between the interior of said barrel and said point in the writing position of said parts and for closing such communicationv during the major portion ofthe filling operation, said tube providing means through which ink may be drawn into said barrel from said point end.,

13. A fountain pen comprising a barrel, a pen point associated with the barrel, a sleeve operable on the outer face of the barrel, said sleeve being movable for alternate reduction and expansion of the interior volume of said barrel, and cooperating means carried by said sleeve and barrel operable throughout substantially the entire o cle of said motion for trapping ink in said arrel so lon as air remains therein to be expelled by re uotion of volume of said barrel.

ROCKEL ALEXANDER FRITSCH. 

